Story Maps

History Happens in a place. In St. Charles County there is so much history that it may be hard to actually visualize where the location of a story happened. If you love maps, and history; you are going to love Story Maps. They allow me to combine the story with modern GIS mapping of today. The same technology that allows us (or the Emergency Services) to get directions to a destination can also share where that historic location is. Sometimes the story is static, like the Historic Main Street Tour map, which allows you to travel down the street. And, sometimes the story unfolds in several locations, like that of Archer Alexander: The Untold Story of an American Hero. This is why I love Story Maps! Check out these two Story Maps I’ve created for St. Charles County History…

HISTORIC MAIN STREET

The AWARD-WINNING St. Charles Main Street is filled with over 100 historic buildings that date back to the early 19th Century. The City of St. Charles was founded when a French fur trader decided these Les Petite Cotes or Little Hills, along the beautiful Missouri River was a good place to establish himself and his family. By the time Lewis and Clark stopped by in 1804, there were at least 100 families that had joined him. And the story just keeps growing! Ever wished you could use your phone, pad or desktop and just visit all of these buildings and learn its unique history? With this link you can do just that! Here are the story of 250 years of 150 historic buildings: https://arcg.is/1qqHzn0 Click on the link for the Story Map: Historic Main Street:

ARCHER ALEXANDER – THE UNTOLD STORY OF AN AMERICAN HERO

In February of 1863, at the height of the conflict in the Civil War, an enslaved man in St Charles County became the last fugitive slave. When he overheard the local slave owners discussing their plans to sabotage the nearby railroad bridge at Peruque Creek he knew he had to take action. He risked his and his family’s life in order to warn the Union troops stationed there, to save hundreds of lives and this important link for the Union troops. When discovered that he was the informant he had to use the Underground Railroad to reach safety in St. Louis. He was captured once by the St. Charles Slave Patrol, and actually attacked by his enslavers men. He ultimately achieved his objective and was given his freedom for his actions on September 24, 1863. Archer Alexander was later memorialized when his image was chosen to depict the formerly enslaved people, on the Emanciaption Monument dedicated in Washington, D.C.’s Lincoln Park on April 14, 1876, the 11th anniversary of President Lincoln’s assasination. Have you ever wondered where Peruque Fort actually was? Use this Story Map:Archer Alexander to explore the stories and locations where this history actually happened! For more about Archer Alexander see https://archeralexander.blog/

The Emancipation Monument in Washington DC has St. Charles man Archer Alexander, the last fugitive slave.